The Minister for Gender, Children and Social Protection, Agnes Naa Momo Lartey, has disclosed that 20,171 caterers and head cooks under the Ghana School Feeding Programme (GSFP) have received training in practical nutrition standards.
The training is part of government efforts to improve the nutritional quality of school meals and ensure that caterers comply with established food preparation and nutrition standards under the programme.
School Feeding Programme Monitoring Expanded
Speaking at the Accountability Series on Wednesday, September 16, 2026, Agnes Naa Momo Lartey said the government has also expanded monitoring activities across schools participating in the Ghana School Feeding Programme.
According to the Minister, compliance monitoring increased significantly from 4,419 schools in 2025 to 8,270 schools in 2026.
The expanded monitoring is intended to strengthen oversight of meal preparation, food quality and service delivery and ensure that pupils receive meals that meet the required standards.
Ghana School Feeding Budget Increases
The Gender Minister also highlighted increased government funding for the School Feeding Programme, saying its budget allocation has risen significantly in recent years.
She disclosed that funding increased from GH¢1.393 billion in 2024 to GH¢1.788 billion in 2025.
For 2026, the allocation increased further to GH¢1.982 billion, while the feeding grant remains at GH¢2 per meal.
The programme currently provides meals to more than 4.5 million pupils every day, making it an important component of Ghana’s social protection and education support initiatives.
Government Clears School Feeding Arrears
Agnes Naa Momo Lartey further stated that the government has cleared outstanding caterer arrears from 2024 and paid caterers for the first and second terms of the 2025/2026 academic year.
She said the increased funding, expanded monitoring and nutrition training are aimed at improving the overall effectiveness of the Ghana School Feeding Programme and ensuring that schoolchildren receive nutritious meals while attending school.
The latest measures are expected to support efforts to improve child nutrition, school attendance, education outcomes and social protection across Ghana.
Source: newsthemegh.com